KCR at loggerheads with IAS officer

Hyderabad, July 18: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and Health Department Principal Secretary Suresh Chanda seem to be at loggerheads over the appointment of Aarogyasri CEO. According to sources, Suresh Chanda expressed strong disappointment over KCR’s decision to appoint a non-IAS cadre officer as CEO of Aarogyasri Trust. KCR has signed a file on the appointment of M Chandrashekar, a retired Anesthesia Professor of Gandhi Hospital, as the CEO but Suresh Chanda had sent back the file to CM office. In the file, he also put a note on objection to appointment of a non-IAS cadre officer as chairman of Telangana State Medical Services Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMSIDC). The CM decided to appoint Social Welfare Joint Director Venugopal in the post. Suresh Chandra sought the CM to appoint IAS cadre officials in the two posts. The two institutions have budgetary allocations over Rs 700 crore and Aarogyasri Board resolution mandates appointment of IAS officer with over six year experience as CEO. Though Suresh Chanda had to issue GOs on the appointment of the two officials, he reportedly kept them in abeyance. The issue is hotly debated among political circles in the state. According to reports, the CM took the decision without consulting senior officials.